M'sian Embarks on Solo Cycling Mission From Selangor to Makkah

If you think that's a crazy feat, you'll be mind-blown to know that he was still about 1,800 kilometers away from reaching his destination.

Meet Aqil Misnan

Aqil, 30, began his journey from Banting, Selangor, on 5th December 2024. He was inspired to embark on a solo cycling mission to Mekkah after reading about other individuals who had done the same thing.

Initially, Aqil revealed that his family had difficulty accepting his plan because they were worried about his safety. But after a while, they gave him their blessings.

He also shared that he received much support from friends and social media users after sharing his journey on his Instagram.

The preparation

To prepare for the long journey, Aqil said he would cycle 40 to 50 kilometers daily for three months. He also revealed that he had used his savings and sold his Proton X50 to support his journey.

“I estimated that I would need around RM20,000 to RM30,000 but I prepared RM50,000 for hotels, foods and emergencies.”

Aqil began his journey from Kanchong Darat, Banting, Selangor. From there, he cycled all the way to Kuala Perlis before entering Laos. Later, he traveled to Kunming, where he boarded a train to Xinjiang, China.

However, in Xinjiang, Aqil had no choice but to board a flight to Dubai as the temperature reached -13 degrees Celsius.

“I was supposed to cycle to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from Xinjiang. Then, once I reach Uzbekistan, only then would I board a plane to Dubai. Alas, the weather made it too dangerous for me to cycle so I switched the plan.”

Throughout his journey, Aqil said one of the most memorable moments was when he had to cycle for 20 km in total darkness in Thailand.

Despite that, Aqil said he was grateful to have met so many new friends along the way.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aqil Misnan (@aqilmisnan_)

Overall, Aqil has ventured about 2,600 kilometers through six different countries.

As of this article, Aqil is currently in Abu Dhabi. He has about 1,800 kilometers to go before reaching Mekkah, where he plans to stay for a month.

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